HOSPITAL SHIPS FOR DOMINION

Southland Times, Issue 24332, 13 January 1941, Page 4

HOSPITAL SHIPS FOR DOMINION

MAUNGANUI TO BE CONVERTED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 11. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, announced today that arrangements had been completed by the GovI eminent to take over the Maunganui, j and for her conversion as a hospital I ship. The necessary alterations will be put I in hand immediately, and the ship will ibe placed in commission in the new I service as early as possible. ■ Negotiations are at present taking place for the acquisition of a second hospital ship, but details are not yet available. Tlie Maunganui has been one of the j most popular vessels of the Union Company’s passenger fleet. Built in 1911 in the yards of Fairfield and Company, Glasgow, she is a particularly staunch ship, and has served her owners faithfully, maintaining regular sailings on I practically all the company’s routes at ' one time or another, and enjoying a career entirely free from accidents. On completion of her maiden voyage she entered the old “horse shoe” run between Sydney and New Zealand ports up to her’ being taken over for carrying troops in the Great War, when she was the flagship of the Main Body convoy. Besides sailing on the Sydney-Wellington-Auckland run, the Maunganui afterwards maintained the BluffMelbourne service following the withdrawal of the Maheno from that run. She was also on the San Francisco route as well as making numerous cruises round the islands and the ports and Sounds of New Zealand. It will be remembered that in April 1.938 the Maunganui, in company with the Monowai, carried a complement of over GOO New Zealand ex-servicemen to Sydney to attend the Anzac Day observances.

Unlike the Rangatira and Awatea of modern design, the Maunganui was characterized by the tall slanting funnel reminiscent of pre-war-built liners, and invariably presented a pleasing picture towering over wharfside buildings or cutting the waters of New Zealand harbours.